Deodeok Butter Rice Bowl (Korean Mountain Root)

Peel 140g deodeok and lightly pound with a mallet or the flat side of a knife to loosen the fibers, then tear into 5cm strips with the grain. Pounding relaxes the tissue so the butter and soy sauce penetrate deeply, and it also softens the bitter edge.

Melt 9g (half) of butter in a pan over medium heat; once the foam subsides, add deodeok and cook for 3 minutes, flipping once to brown both sides. Do not move the pieces for the first 2 minutes to let browning develop, then flip just once.

Mix 1.5 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp syrup, and 1/2 tsp minced garlic for the sauce and add to the pan.

Simmer over medium heat for 2 minutes, turning frequently until the deodeok is glazed with a glossy coating.

Just before turning off the heat, add the remaining 9g butter and swirl quickly until melted.

The final butter dissolves into the sauce, boosting gloss and flavor as it naturally emulsifies with the pan's residual heat.

Place 2 bowls of warm rice in serving dishes, top with the braised deodeok, and spoon over all the remaining pan sauce.

The heat of the rice draws the sauce between the grains for a balanced sweet-salty bite.

Finish with a generous scatter of sliced scallion and 1 tsp sesame seeds.

The fresh scallion aroma and nutty sesame add a bright counterpoint to the rich sweet-salty glaze.